New cafe June Coffee at Katong serves up hearty Italian-fusion fare with Korean-inspired roots

If June Coffee at Katong rings a bell, it’s probably because you’ve heard of September Coffee — its sister cafe — which launched in September 2022 at South Bridge Road. (There’s a theme here, we reckon.) 

Much like September Coffee, June Coffee is run by the same owners and might be the newest Instagrammable cafe on the block — but that’s where the similarities end.

Where September Coffee embodies modernity — what with its concrete furnishings and Scandi vibes — June Coffee is slightly vintage, warm and cosy.

It’s a romantic brunch spot furnished with dark teak wood, dim hanging lights and frosted glass tiles reminiscent of old housing interiors.

June and September Coffee are run by two sisters — the inspiration behind June Coffee came from their family’s love for cafes and as long-time east-siders, they wanted to start a cafe closer to home.

They declined to be named, citing a preference for privacy.

Menu-wise, June Coffee serves hearty Italian fare with a Korean-inspired twist, along the likes of gochujang pasta, croffles, French toast desserts and more. By contrast, you’ll find more udon-based dishes at September Coffee instead.

The menu at June Coffee

We were recommended the rose rigatoni (S$20) — June Coffee’s rendition of a gochujang pasta — which turned out to be one of our favourite dishes of the day. 

The rigatoni was chewy, without being too dense and starchy, while the tangy and slightly sweet cherry tomatoes cut through the rich savouriness of the gochujang cream sauce and burrata chunks, making for a well-balanced burst of flavour. 

As someone with a low tolerance for spice, I appreciated the hint of spice in the dish — it’s just enough to leave your tongue tingling and wanting more. My dining companion would’ve liked more heat, though, as he felt the spice wasn’t quite distinct enough for his palate. 

Another winning dish, the truffle mushroom pappardelle (S$21) was an explosion of umami for mushroom lovers like myself. 

Unlike many places, the truffle flavours here were deft and didn’t overpower. Instead, it manifested as a mild, earthy fragrance to whet the appetite. Each bite was creamy and full of springy shiitake mushroom chunks. The thick pappardelle pasta gave a great chew, which complimented the thick, creamy sauce made with shimeji and king oyster mushroom bits.

We’d inadvertently gravitated towards vegetarian items this time, both of which I will be thinking about for a while. But if you fancy your pasta with more protein, though, you could go for June Coffee’s crab linguine (S$22) or vongole linguine (S$22). 

If you’re lucky, you might also get to try its signature beef tenderloin croffle (S$25) — it was already sold out when we got there at 12pm.

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To finish off our savoury meal, we had the honey, lemon and ricotta French toast (S$17). 

While we enjoyed the pillowy toast and its aesthetic appeal, we found the ricotta cream a tad too dense for our liking — you might enjoy it if you’re head over heels for cheese, though!

We didn’t feel much for coffee (though they have an extensive coffee menu), so we opted for its signature earl grey and pear fruit tea (S$7.50) and signature kinako matcha (S$8).  

Though both drinks were refreshingly tasty (and Insta-worthy), we particularly enjoyed the lightness of the earl grey pear fruit tea, served with a slice of sweet, juicy pear. (Oh to be lounging in summer with a drink like this!) 

A welcome palate-cleanser comprising multiple layers, the drink was foamy at the top, deliciously sweet in the middle with juicy pear bits in each sip — it’s no wonder I couldn’t put this drink down!

As its name suggests, the kinako (roasted soybean flour) matcha has earthy soy notes to undercut the bitterness of the matcha. It is a full-bodied option if you love your drinks with some depth — we enjoyed the thick soy foam at the top for texture.

Newly launched just last Friday on Jun 14, June Coffee is already teeming with eager cafe-goers. For now, there appears to be no reservations available, but you will be able to secure a queue number through an online queueing system. Just scan the QR code provided at the entrance. 

We recommend getting there early before the lunch crowd hits, or in the late afternoon for more seat options. 

For the latest eats, read about retro-themed cafe Pancakes and Friends, or check out the new Dal.Komm Playground for food and drinks. Alternatively, check out the newest openings in Singapore here. 

You can also book a ride to June Coffee for your next brunch date.

Do explore the GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.